Stupid Norcold Fridge Is Toast

[DadsHemi]

Originally Posted by richfaa

Note..It is nearly always if not always, the cooling unit that fails and once you replace it with a quality Amish unit you will most likely not have another issue.

I’ll get what ever the warranty will pay for,although I’m sure it’s going to be a factory replacement coil.

[Wicked1]

This is one of the reasons we finally moved from RV fridge to a residential, heard from friends about the issues with Norcold 12-18 CG RV fridges.

I can buy 4 Samsung 18cft fridges for the price of one RV Fridge.

I hope you can get it fixed and don’t have to buy a whole new one, wish you best of luck

[Dave W]

While our Norcold is still working well or was on Oct 15th, there may be that day when I decide that an Amish cooling unit will not be worth the time and effort.


So, with that said, what fits in the place of that 1210 Norcold. Most seem to use a Samsung.
- Is there a particular part number that is a (almost) exact fit?

- How is it fastened in place?
- Other brands



We are not real lovers of a Samsung fridge since we have a big, fairly one in the S&B that sits there and rattles, but if that's the game in town ..... so be it!

[DadsHemi]

I found a Mobile rv here that takes my good sams extended warranty, he is going to check with Norcold to see if they will replace the coil first instead of going to my extended warranty first, if not will drop back to good sams. Will see how this goes.....

[Tomzspot]

FYI. I worked for a RV company. Residential fridges are not made to be driven down the road at 7.0 on the richtor scale as everything else in your RV is. That said your "warranty company" will most likely deny a repair if you are towing and something happens to your Res fridge.



And if you have a "RV ammonia fridge" and you are in a climate where the ambient temp reaches 32 degrees or below, you need to have a "winter kit" installed on the fridge or it will not work properly in that temp.


Learned the hard way ya'll!


Good camping.

[DadsHemi]

Heard back from the RV repair guy... Basicly Norcold told him tuff @#$&, So he cam out and took pictures of the leak and will be submitting to GS warranty.

[RRman]

We've been using the SAME Apartment Size Top Freezer (Traditional) Residential Fridge in our Montana since I purchased it used 11 years ago and installed it myself.
40K miles later, including roads so rough the Front frame Broke ($$$ repair), this Frost Free "Fireproof" Fridge cools down to 0 in 45 minutes Fridge has continued to function just fine. Used about 9 months/year.
That said, current Res Fridges are "supposedly" designed to only last 10 years...

[speedster100]

Most important thing to ensure with a gas RV fridge is that the unit is level anytime it is parked and running. Too many people don't pay attention to ensuring the fridge is level and it almost always results in premature failure due to the cooling unit overheating in one spot and eroding away the thin coiling tube which fails allows the ammonia and cover fluid to escape rendering the unit useless... As most have indicated, you can have the cooling unit replaced for far less than the cost of a new fridge... Keeping it level in most cases avoids this and you can have years of trouble free useage.

[mazboy]

i'd push this under warranty.
https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...erator-3yr.pdf


but to replace, here is a site, one of several. http://www.rvrefrigerator.net/

[richfaa]

Originally Posted by DadsHemi

I’ll get what ever the warranty will pay for,although I’m sure it’s going to be a factory replacement coil.

.Normally the extended warranty will only pay for a OEM replacement. We paid the difference to get a quality Amish cooling unit. It was not all that much difference.

[DadsHemi]

Originally Posted by mazboy

i'd push this under warranty.
https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...erator-3yr.pdf


but to replace, here is a site, one of several. http://www.rvrefrigerator.net/

There’s nothing to push, my warranty paper says 1yr. GS is covering it anyways, this is why I bought an extended plan.

[wade]

Just a thought but i believe having low voltage in your rv can be hard on your frig. I keep a voltage meter plugged in a receptacle that is always easy visible to keep a eye on it. If it gets below where it should be i switch it to gas. I've notice several times even plugged in to 50 amps that sometimes its below where it should be especially on a hot day and everyone is using their AC's plus everything else.

[wade]

Last spring i bought a 2018 310RL HC and i noticed the frig doesn't want to stay cold on those hot days when the sun is hitting the frig side of the camper. Has anyone thought of changing the outside vents to the frig to white so it don't attract so much heat. On a laser heat the black ones get way up over 130 degrees. My 2012 SOB camper i had previously was all white with the same size frig and never had a problem keeping it cold. I have noticed a few RV's that had a patio awning mounted on that side to shade the frig just a shorter version but doesn't do much good traveling down the rd

[DadsHemi]

Originally Posted by wade

Just a thought but i believe having low voltage in your rv can be hard on your frig. I keep a voltage meter plugged in a receptacle that is always easy visible to keep a eye on it. If it gets below where it should be i switch it to gas. I've notice several times even plugged in to 50 amps that sometimes its below where it should be especially on a hot day and everyone is using their AC's plus everything else.

I don’t think this would make a coil leak it’s amonia out, lousy coatings on the inside of the coils makes them eventually develop and hole and leak.

[routemaster]

I put Samsung RF197 in 2009 best mod I ever done.

[wade]

I only posted that on the voltage just as a general idea on rv'ers having problems with thier refrigerator's later on . continuous low voltage at sporadic times over a period of time is probably not good for it

[wade]

Originally Posted by routemaster

I put Samsung RF197 in 2009 best mod I ever done.

Some of us like the gad option

[wade]

Originally Posted by wade

Some of us like the gad option

Oops ! Gas option

[routemaster]

Originally Posted by wade

Oops ! Gas option

I can see that. Even with fans in behind the gas fridge when we stayed Bakersfield CA in 2008 we lost food in the 115*temps.Game changer.
Den.

[Montana Man]

Originally Posted by wade

Last spring i bought a 2018 310RL HC and i noticed the frig doesn't want to stay cold on those hot days when the sun is hitting the frig side of the camper. Has anyone thought of changing the outside vents to the frig to white so it don't attract so much heat. On a laser heat the black ones get way up over 130 degrees. My 2012 SOB camper i had previously was all white with the same size frig and never had a problem keeping it cold. I have noticed a few RV's that had a patio awning mounted on that side to shade the frig just a shorter version but doesn't do much good traveling down the rd

Install one of these fans and controllers next to the existing (underpowered) fan.